Eagle Tip - Fill in the Blank

Many troops have perpetual plaques (like this one from ScoutStuff.org) on which they engrave their Eagle Scouts' names, each one on a separate plate. Such plaques look great when displayed in a meeting room or at a court of honor.

A reader gave me a great idea a few years ago for getting more use out of such a plaque. Her troop displays its plaque at each court of honor, but the plaque also plays an important role in the ceremony. During a Scout’s Eagle court of honor, he unveils his own engraved plate by removing a piece of paper covering it. He then unscrews the next plate in line. The Scoutmaster holds up that plate, points out the open space, and challenges the troop's Life Scouts to make it to Eagle. The open space remains on the plaque until the next court of honor, providing subtle motivation each time the troop meets.

If you try this idea, be sure to bring a screwdriver whose head is small enough to remove the tiny screws that hold the plates in place. Store the removed plate in a secure place—perhaps taped to the back of the plaque—but put the screws back in the holes so they don't get lost.